Sunday 29 November 2015

Blustery Walks Before The Rain

 Mikey, Sammi And Loki above LLyn Ffynhonau 
 Winds of up to 60 mph .. apparently, certainly almost took me off my feet a couple of times, but we had fun!  
The best thing about days like today is there's not many other idiots on the mountain ..unless your out with Sammi that is!!!
Mind you there was no one around when I got the van stuck in the mud, but I was bloody determined to get it unstuck myself and not call home for assistance. I think the assistant would have been well pissed off and no doubt told me so! 
Ziva, Asha and Tali (with a face on her as she wanted to eat sheep shit and not pose for a stupid fecking picture!)
Jezi, Finlay and Nico
both the last photos taken in the same spot.
Finlay did well on the walk, but my he looks old here. 

Saturday 28 November 2015

Working Today

It's 3 months to the day since my SAH and I feel like life is gradually getting back to normal. I'm back at work 1 or 2 days a week and doing ok, I've had my date for the follow up appointment at Walton, Liverpool the week before Xmas ... Ahhhh!! I feel so blessed to be getting my life back, be it gradually. I was working this morning, me and Graham Norton driving around in my super little work van.(Yes i love the van ..lol) Anyway I had to stop briefly to peak over a wall on a bridge, We must remember to stop and look, North Wales is so beautiful, even in the rain. Anyway Onward and Forward .... Yes I know!!!!!








Click on the photo to enlarge

Friday 27 November 2015

A Year On

Loki and Mikey 
What a difference a year makes!
 I had hope to go back to the same spot for the photo ... but gales canceled my plans!

A Treat For The Girls ...




If there's ever time for an extra walk I usually take the youngsters, their need is greater and it gives us more peace in the evening. But I do feel a tad of guilt at times, especially with Asha. She's just so easy that she often gets over looked. I also find taking Tali up the back very frustrating and know that if she gets to go somewhere else both she and I will enjoy the walk a lot more! The forecast suggested it would be dry this morning and rain this afternoon, so the plan was set in force. Walks this morning and hibernate this afternoon. It was a good plan, but sadly the weather man lied! Still I had set my heart on taking the girls to the river, so waterproofs on and we went. Yeah we had a lovely time and all (even Tali) were a pleasure to share a walk with. 
I got home to wind and rain, seriously it must have rained here every day for 3 weeks, and it's really starting to get me down! The dogs are wet and smelly, there's wet towels constantly waiting to be washed, the carpets are damp, thank god for the throws. Lets hope for some Winter Sunshine pretty soon eh! 

Thursday 26 November 2015

Oops!!!







Looks like the fight happened here, just outside the top gate. Lots of long-ish black and white hair, definitely not Billy's! Glad it seems he gave as good as he got, but really wish it wasn't happening! He's got to be going on for 14 now, and like I say we have never considered him equipped for fights, but maybe we are wrong? Maybe he's the little shit that causes all the trouble and then ends up worse for wear!!!

I was getting ready to change the throws earlier.
Ziva and her ball were really not helping! 

Poor Bill Bob

Little Billy has been beaten up, again! It can't be more than 2 weeks since I was out in my PJ's in the middle of the night in the wind and rain chasing the fluffy black and white invader away. Unfortunately last night I didn't hear anything. Billy has bites and scratches around his face and ears, including a puncture mark above his eye. He is obviously sore and very uncomfortable this morning. He's even refused breakfast! We have 6 cats, so why is it always him? He's just a little old man who really isn't equipped to fight!
We've cleaned his wounds with salt water, and I'm hoping we don't have to go to the vets again like we did after the time Snowflake beat him up!
Look at Junior peaking over him ... shame you Jamie and Oliver didn't help him out last night then mate!!!!!

Tuesday 24 November 2015

Some Memories

Funny how these photos crop up with no apparent warning ...
Kiri and Louis 
Nikki, Dexi and Blade
Nikki

Monday 23 November 2015

Some Photos From Liverpool

 Loki 
 Bella
After the serious stuff - time for some Brother and Sister FUN!



Wrexham And Liverpool K.A

Loki 2nd in his first open class
We arrived at Wrexham at around 12.30pm on Saturday. For some reason they had us down for afternoon judging, which was a pain and made it a very late day. But there you go. Anyway only one class for the breed which kind of put some people off, but I entered Sammi and Loki with the hope the support will encourage them to add another class next year. Anyway I only took  Loki, and he was second to a 3 year old bitch, Debbie's Chelsey who was the automatically BOB. After judging the judge came to talk to us and told us she was honored to have such a nice class of GSD's entered under her. Nice yeah! She also informed me that her husband had preferred Loki to her BOB. Wonder if he Judges??? lol. Anyway I did remind her that she had given Sammi a Group 2 earlier in the year, and told her she was entered, but I was too precious about her to show her out of coat!
As is often the case for the GSD's, under a different judge Chelsey was unplaced in the group!
Loki in the group at Liverpool
Sunday was an earlier start with judging at 10am. Again Ian was kind enough to give me a lift so there was only room for Loki (sharing the crate with his sister Bella -- and Sammi is honestly out of coat so I didn't feel too disappointed about not taking her!) Sunday was Loki's day, going BOB in the morning and Group 3 under a different judge in the afternoon. I'm so chuffed with him, he never lets me down! He how has 15 points toward his Show certificate of merit, and those elusive group points that we struggled so hard to get with Mikey are already in the bag!
A well respect GSD judge is on the committee of this show society, and I respect his opinion greatly, but I did giggle when he said that Loki needs to grow into his head! To be honest I don't see it, I think he's quite in proportion for his age, but at one point we were waiting for his head to catch up with body!
Anyway, my head is a little cabbaged today, but it was all so worth it. It will be a walks this morning then a lazy day ahead I think!

Sunday 22 November 2015

Two Tiring Days Of Showing

But we've had a great time! Promise I'll catch up tomorrow, 
but Loki was BOB and Group 3 today! 

Friday 20 November 2015

A Walk With Sammi And Loki By Afon Seiont

A bit pic heavy but couldn't choose 






Due to the forecast being for more wind and rain I decided to give the young ones an extra walk on the way to Bangor. I love this walk which is a stones throw from Parc Eryri in Caerrnarfon. To date I've been lucky, it has always been quite there. I'm happier letting the Naughty Angel off the lead there than in the Park! Anyway It wasn't one of my best decision, though I'd had the foresight to take clean shoes I went to Pets at home and The Range wearing muddy jeans and a paw marked hoodie! 

Memories

This photo cropped up in my "memories" this morning.
Mikey and mummy Tali taken on the 20th of November 2011.
The GSD breed standard says that ...
"Clear definition of masculinity and femininity are essential." 
Can't come clearer than that can it! 

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Those Puppies

I couldn't sleep last night for thinking of those poor puppies. Maybe I should be less judgmental, people do make poor decisions daily which result in these kind of consequences. In the past "breeder" use to to do things like this on purpose!!! The pups are here now, it's not their fault and doing right by them is paramount.  In their shoes would I have been able to put them to sleep? Oh hell I doubt it very much.
I was told last night that they will be asking £200 for the pups. Quarter of the price of a well bred litter these days! I really do understand the need to ask a fee, but I hope they will be flexible. Sometimes a fantastic home is available where funds are limited. People who would give up their dinner to feed their dog, but don't have £200 at the ready!
I worry the breeder will not cope, between Xmas and New Year they will have 9 puppies running around their living room. They have children, they
Enya, Ziva, Jezi and Danni - Xmas 2011
have a disabled sister living with them .. and there's no easy way of saying it, unless they have thought it through, 9 puppies will be pissing and shitting all over their house!(I know they do not have a spare room) What will they do if they can't cope? I prey to god they won't put them out in a shed or something! Then of course early in the new year they will need to sell them, again I ask the question, how easy will it be to sell these puppies to kind loving homes? What if at 4 months old they are left with half the litter? It can happen, I've been there with the sisters, we loved them to bits, but it was hell on earth and Jezi's character was affected by it. The fights were horrendous but at least we had a way of separating them and plenty of time and space to exercise them.
Shit I don't need this right now, they are not my responsibility, neither are they Ian and Tracy's but we all feel a responsibility towards them. I'm so worried about it all, what the hell will become of them?

Tuesday 17 November 2015

Out With Barney

 It was great fun, wet and windy but not cold
but I have to confess twice was enough!!!
It's been a long time sine I took all six out together and sadly the problems, or problem was still the same. In the end in the interest of the safety of the majority I gave up on the "problem" and left her to her own devices!!! She did eventually decide to stop eating what ever she eats and catch up! 
Who is she? Well Tali of course!!!!

Devastated

The stupidity of some people is beyond belief. I'm speechless, but so so angry. A 14 month old GSD bitch is currently giving birth, 9 puppies so far. How awful, a baby having babies. What makes it worse is that she is Loki's sister, what makes it a tragedy is that the father is her brother! In my book it doesn't get worse than that!
Accidents happen, Mikey mated Asha, Blade possibly mated Lia ... but no chances taken, in both cases it was straight to the vets for the morning after injection. It was easily sorted. A pregnancy can easily be terminated, but oh no, this pregnancy has been allowed to go full term. Now a 14 month old bitch has a large litter to her brother. It's so sickening it's heartbreaking.
As breeders, Ian and Tracy are in bits, the owners lied to them over and over again. Assuring them the bitch was neutered they are and now giving them a story that the vets would not spay her at the time. Of course the vets would not spay her at the time they suggest, because with the timing they are giving she would be in season then, the vet would not expect the bitch to then be left with her brother whilst in season!
So what happens now? Should some or the majority of them be put to sleep? Will they have physical or mental abnormalities? Who will want them? The future seems bleak, not many responsible people will want a pup of this breeding, does that only leave poor quality homes with people who want an "Alsatian" available to them? Will they end up neglected or in Rescue Centres? Oh God they are not my responsibility, but I could weep for them! They are here now and I hope what ever it may be that they do their best by them. I hate myself for thinking/saying it but unless there is the chance of a happy, loved life maybe they would be better being put to sleep now, the alternative could be heartbreaking, just devastating.

Naughty Nico??

There is no doubt over recent months things have changed here. For the first time ever I was away from my pack for a long period of time, 16 days is quite a time in a dogs life. I do what I can but sadly now they get less exercise and as the weather changes and the nights draw in the doors are not open for as long during the day, but mostly they cope. Sammi and Loki entertain each other which helps ... with Ziva and Mikey often join in in the madness. Asha plays with her ball quite a lot and an aging Tali will sleep happily for long periods of time.
Then there's the other three, Finlay likes to go to bed (in our bedroom) he really is becoming quite the little old man. Jezi and Nico are inseparable. He will even stand outside her crate at night to wait for her to go in before toddling off to his own crate. The same in the morning, he waits for her and they go out together, it's really quite sweet! They play like puppies in the house and charge around like loonies outside. Things happen in this world for a reason, I swear Nico is the best thing that ever happened to Jezi. Re-homing Danni had got Jezi partly there, but Nico's happy go lucky nature has influence her so much, it has made our class clown complete. But maybe we shouldn't forget who Nico was when he arrived here, maybe we shouldn't forget the life he had and how far he's come? After all when he arrived back in the UK his distraught breeder called him "a mental and physical wreck!"
Since I've come home from hospital Nico's behaviour has been a little odd. He's ripped up cushions, (yes multiple) he's chewed an electric extension cable, he's emptied the contents of my bag all over the floor, and yesterday he stole my monkey from the kitchen. All mischievous behaviour that I had put down to a lack of exercise. But last night as we chatted a knowledgeable friend put a different take on things. Knowing Nico's past she wondered if his behaviour was down to the stress he had felt at my absence, and now maybe a bit of attention seeking through insecurity. Though Steve did me and the dogs proud when I was away, they are all still very much my dogs. (Well mostly) The others have known nothing but love and security, without doubt Nico has known hardship and possible neglect. (Though Finlay was a rescue I doubt he has known much hardship, and for the risk of getting into trouble I'll be careful how I phrase it, shall we say he is very much a very different personality to your average GSD!)
So the Nico we know now is mostly a happy dog, he's very very affectionate, playful and reasonably obedient, though less so as he has grown in confidence! Is he being mischievous through being a little bored or is there something deeper to consider? To be honest, I really don't know. One thing is for sure the seed of doubt is sown so I will now be more observant of his behaviour. I guess I can only continue to do exactly what I have done for the last 3 years and do my best to give him everything he needs and keep him as secure and happy in his life as I can. My god our boy sure has come a long way, testament to his breed, his breeding and his strength of character.

Monday 16 November 2015

Sammi's Stress Free Walk

Not a Soul in sight to spoil our walk, well mine with her! 
She quite likes it when people are about, it's me that stresses as she runs off to investigate! 


RIP Dear Caffrey

Champion Iolanda Bugatti at Sarocal ShCM 
17/08/06 - 14/11/15
A true gentleman of the dog world and our friend
 taken too soon. 
Thoughts are with those who loved and lived with him. 









Sammi and Caffrey earlier in the year

Sunday 15 November 2015

George Michael - The Grave



Heart Wrenching and very apt in this damn cruel world!

Flicker

I have started to use Flicker again .. only because I was nagged to do so by a family member. I do prefer google photos, but I guess as they will both back up photos it gives another safety net! Should you wish to see more photos than I post on here, the link is still there under "Blanik links." I have added a Summer 2015 album and an Autumn album. Not just dogs, some of these breath taking views as well.

Saturday 14 November 2015

Afon Glaslyn (River)

The river was pretty wild today - but so beautiful 
Wish I had my good camera, but I never risk taking it to work! 
I stood here on the same spot on a very rainy day in May (the 9th) and took a photo then too (Below)
I hope to do it again in 6 months time,
and maybe again in-between!